Warriors fill final roster spot by converting Anthony Lamb to standard deal
ATLANTA — The depleted Warriors decided to move forward with filling their final roster spot Thursday night, converting two-way forward Anthony Lamb to a standard NBA deal, a source confirmed Thursday evening.
Lamb is expected to be available Friday in Atlanta for a game the Warriors desperately needed bodies. Golden State was down to just nine available players after Draymond Green was suspended for one game without pay after picking up his penalty-triggering 16th technical foul of the season in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers.
The Warriors are also without Andrew Wiggins, who remains away tending to a family matter; Gary Payton II, who is ramping up after a core injury sidelined him for the last month-plus; and Andre Iguodala, who needs what could turn out to be season-ending surgery on his broken wrist.
Lamb emerged as a regular member of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation this season, but due to limitations with the two-way deal could play only 50 NBA games — his 50th game came on March 5 against the Lakers. Lamb has averaged seven points and 3.4 rebounds in 20.1 minutes, while shooting 47.5% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range.
Kerr had recently campaigned for Lamb to take up the team’s 15th roster spot. He praised Lamb’s versatility as well as his ability to space the floor and knock down timely 3-pointers.
“He plays an important role for us because he connects a lot of lineups,” Kerr said more than a week ago. “He plays the way we’ve always played, with Point Five basketball, make a quick decision, drive it, pass it, shoot it. And then he’s big and versatile enough to guard multiple spots.
“When we play two bigs we can have him at the three or you can play him at the four. So he’s been really helpful for us this year.”
Lamb was involved in controversy earlier this season. He was accused of sexually assaulting a fellow student in 2019 in a lawsuit, filed in December, that alleges the University of Vermont violated Title IX by mishandling procedures for sexual harassment and violence on campus.
Lamb, 24, has not been charged with a crime and is not named as a defendant in the recent lawsuit. He’s denied the allegations. Meanwhile, the Warriors have said they did their due diligence by reaching out to the league and Lamb’s previous teams.
In another move, Golden State plans to sign G League guard and former University of Memphis standout Lester Quinones to a two-way deal, according to a league source.
Quinones is averaging 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 26 starts with the Warriors’ G League team in Santa Cruz this season.
With a full 15-man roster, Quinones is eligible to play in the final 12 games with Golden State, but is expected to remain in Santa Cruz through the weekned. Ty Jerome, who’s appeared in 47 NBA games on a two-way contract, can appear in three more games. Neither are eligible for the postseason, though.